


sunset in my veins

by kiual



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Boys Being Idiots, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-26
Updated: 2014-02-26
Packaged: 2018-01-13 21:27:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1241332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiual/pseuds/kiual
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kagami was never good with words.</p>
            </blockquote>





	sunset in my veins

**Author's Note:**

> fuck i really don't know i just love kagakuro a lot i want them to hug and kiss and cuddle bye

Sometimes Kagami would change faster than Kuroko after practice. It was rare, but most certainly possible, and would leave him with little else to do but gaze, chin in hand, at the boy by his side.

Kuroko was very pale and small, a typical combination to lead to a weak physical build and a timid personality. Kagami was proud to be able to prove those images wrong. His distinct knowledge of every muscled contour of Kuroko’s arms and back; the stored away memories of every time Kuroko had raised his voice in passion, fear, or anger; the way his eyes would grow wider and brighter in these moments, and his muscles would tense subconsciously. Fists balled up. Legs wider in an offensive stance.

Kuroko was supposed to be a shadow. That was what he seemed to believe, anyway. It was what the Miracles had incessantly drilled into his mind throughout matches and practices; they needed him for no reason other than his passes. Kagami had seen the effects of that on Kuroko, too. These were more slight, more reflexive than his bold actions and expressive face, but Kagami’s eyes were trained to watch out for the slightest of movements, and he’d seen it in Kuroko. A flinch whenever his weaknesses were mentioned. A twitch in his fingers whenever a member of the Miracles mentioned their own bright light.

Kagami wanted Kuroko to exist outside of this narrow window of opportunity, where he believed he was only good for the passes he sent and the players whose light he brightened. That wasn’t the kind of life Kuroko should live. Not when those rare moments of watching Kuroko change would give him an unfiltered view of the strength in his body, and the power he could hold. The sight of Kuroko when he wasn’t obscured by dimmed lights and bedsheets was something to behold.

Kagami really cared about his boyfriend.

Sometimes he found himself struggling to show this emotion without being too physical. He knew there was more to his feelings than wrapping his arms around Kuroko, or pushing him up against a wall. But Kagami had never been good with words, and his silences were always heavy with unspoken thoughts and emotions. Kuroko would always promise that he understood Kagami when the other boy stumbled over unrehearsed words and affectionate tones of voice, but never allowed Kagami to stutter his way through a messy confession in the way Kagami would fall silent for Kuroko’s own quiet utterances of love.

With the rays of sunlight dipping in through the slanted windows and bathing the wooden floor and soft white skin in a gilded hue, Kagami would think through the words in his head. It either seemed too sappy or too cold, never the right balance for both himself and Kuroko to be comfortable with what he had to say.

“I love you, Kuroko,” he murmured. But Kuroko knew that. He’d said it countless times before, and Kagami often wondered whether the words still held the same weight when Kuroko heard them as they did when they left Kagami’s mouth. There had to be something in his voice that told Kuroko that there was _more_ , but no clues were ever present on the other boy’s face. Kuroko paused while reaching for his school shirt, leaned over and pecked Kagami on the lips with a nod and small smile.

It had become routine.

\---

Kagami didn’t take it easy when he and Kuroko played one on one at the outdoor courts. It was for his boyfriend’s sake rather than his own, and he’d been pleased to realise after the first few occasions of playing all out against Kuroko that it was actually helping the boy. His skills may not have been on par with Kagami enough to stop a dribble or intercept a shot, but his endurance and ability to stay beside his mark no matter what speed they possessed was far better.

After these practices together, they’d walk back to Kagami’s apartment, breathless and soaked in sweat from the effort put in. Kuroko would slip into the shower, leaving Kagami sat waiting alone until he finally caved and entered the bathroom too. Kuroko always turned the water up to scorching, leaving the bathroom a steamy maze of obstacles to crash into on his way to the bath. He’d join Kuroko with his arms wrapped tightly around the pale waist, and refuse to let go throughout the awkward process of applying shampoo in a tight space.

“Kagami-kun, please don’t be clingy.”

He wasn’t sure why Kuroko put in the effort to say that anymore.

Days like this didn’t always end in sex. There were nights for cuddling, and nights for sitting quietly in front of a film. Sometimes practice left them too exhausted to do more than drop to sleep and wake several hours later in a mad rush to get to school on time (and wasn’t it a good job Kuroko’s parents trusted Kagami to look after Kuroko, because otherwise their lack of son would probably end in unfortunate claims of kidnapping). 

\---

The sweat was dripping, and his lungs were on fire from the force of his heavy breathing. Playing against Kagami one on one forced his every instinct to its pinnacle point, just to catch those tiny movements that would give away Kagami’s next move. Kuroko knew his chances of out-dribbling Kagami or scoring past his defense were practically zero, but his ability to perform quick steals that would be caught by the rest of the team if they were present was something he prided himself on.

He watched as Kagami’s eyes almost dropped into a blink, but pushed themselves back open. In that tiny moment, Kagami’s eyes involuntarily flicked to the left. Kuroko quickly thrust out his hands, knocking the ball from Kagami’s palms and allowing it to roll off to the side of the court.

“Um, Kuroko? That was a foul,” Kagami scratched the back of his neck, looking quite uncomfortable with being the bearer of bad news. Kuroko heaved a sigh, moving towards the ball and dropping it into his lap as he sat on the edge of the court. Kagami fell down beside him and draped his arm around Kuroko’s shoulders.

“Kagami-kun. People will see.”

“Don’t care,” Kagami mumbled into his own arm, thrown across his face to shield his sweaty skin from the heat of the setting sun. Kuroko felt the arm around him tighten, and he was now side to side with Kagami’s body.

For several minutes their conversation broke off into silence. It was comforting, and a welcome moment to get back their breath after such an intense game. As the minutes dragged on, however, Kuroko found himself searching for something to say to break their ongoing silence. It was starting to become a bit strange and uncomfortable, considering Kagami was usually animated and deep in conversation, even after practice and games. But, as Kuroko was starting to shift a little and get desperate, Kagami began to talk.

It wasn’t quite the conversation Kuroko was expecting.

“Look, Kuroko,” Kagami sighed. “I’m an idiot.”

There was a brief pause. Kuroko wasn’t quite sure where this was going.

“I’ve been trying all this time to be able to say something more than ‘I love you’ to really show how I feel about you, but it’s never worked, and it’s never going to work. You’re my best friend, Kuroko, always will be. But you’re my boyfriend too, and I can’t imagine living without you.” Kagami’s cheeks, with the combination of a bright blush and the flush from exercise, were a glowing red hue under the evening sun.

“How poetic, Kagami-kun.” Kagami’s head swiveled to face Kuroko, only to be met by the slight tugging at the edges of the other boy’s lips. Kuroko didn’t smile much, but Kagami loved moments like these when Kuroko’s sly side would show through with a concealed smirk.

“You’re an idiot too, Kuroko,” Kagami mumbled with a grin. As the sun dropped lower, the heat seemed to intensify. And that was just not right.

Kagami felt the heavy weight of Kuroko’s head dropping against his shoulder and burying his face into Kagami’s neck, as if his skin would have any effect against the sweltering heat. 

“I understand what you mean, Kagami-kun. You don’t need to say anything more,” Kuroko said quietly after a few minutes of silence. “I feel the same way.”

Kagami lazily ruffled the other boy’s messy hair and leaned his cheek against the top of his head. They clicked together like this; one head in the crook of a shoulder, and the other resting atop this head of hair with a small smile.

“So I know we really love basketball,” Kagami began as the cold of night seemed to finally be seeping into his skin. “But there is no way I’m sleeping on an outdoor court. You can come back to my place where it’s warm and we can lie in a bed rather than on this concrete.” Kuroko hummed his consent, but didn’t seem all too willing to move from his position curled around Kagami.

“Kuroko- Kuroko, you’ve got to move, you know,” Kagami sighed. A pair of blank eyes met his own when he looked down. “Fine then. You asked for it.” With some difficulty thanks to his aching muscles and stiff joints from being in the same position for so long, Kagami got to his feet and hoisted Kuroko up with him, half carrying, half dragging the boy across the court. By the time they reached the exit gate, Kuroko was wide awake and placing a well aimed kick into Kagami’s shin.

“That was cruel,” Kuroko said, his expression accusatory. Kagami shrugged, unable to hide his small smile at Kuroko’s petulance. He reached over and caught Kuroko’s hand in his own, pulling them closer together on the quiet street.

“Let’s go,” he said with a smile. Kuroko yawned hugely, catching Kagami off guard.

“The courts were perfectly comfortable,” he murmured, giving Kagami a sharp look. Kagami couldn’t hold back a large laugh.


End file.
